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A pair of Bruins has been recognized as the Rimington Trophy Committee and the John Mackey Award released their watch lists on Tuesday. Redshirt junior center Jake Brendel was named to the Rimington list. Sophomore receiver Thomas Duarte was chosen to the Mackey Award watch list.

Brendel has started at center in all 27 games of his career. He served as a team co-captain in 2013 and was named honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference. In addition, Brendel was selected to the first-team Academic All-Conference team in 2013. Following the 2012 campaign, he received freshman All-America mention from multiple publications.

Duarte saw action in all 13 games in 2013 and made four starts in his true freshman season. He totaled 16 catches (tied for sixth on the team) for 214 yards and three touchdowns. His total of three scoring receptions, which ranked third on the team, matched the school true freshman record also held by Raymond Burks (1973). He caught touchdowns passes in games against California, Oregon and Virginia Tech. Duarte’s most productive game came against the Golden Bears (three catches for 76 yards and a touchdown). He was named honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference.

The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division 1-A College Football. The fifteen-year old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis. Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman (www.rimingtontrophy.com).

The Mackey Award (www.johnmackeyaward.com) is given each year to the most outstanding collegiate tight end. NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. A tight end by whom all others are measured, Mackey was a role model on and off the field as demonstrated by his Super Bowl Championship, his commitment to community and his place in history as the first President of the NFLPA. The John Mackey Award presented since 2000, lists thirteen alumni to have played in the NFL: including former Bruin Marcedes Lewis (2005 winner) of the Jaguars.

The Bruins' 2014 football season kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Noon ET at Virginia. UCLA's home opener will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7pm at the Rose Bowl against Memphis. Season tickets for the 2014 season are on sale now at uclabruins.com/tickets. The Bruins have six home games at the Rose Bowl in 2014 – Sept. 6 vs. Memphis, Oct. 4 vs. Utah, Oct. 11 vs. Oregon, Nov. 1 vs. Arizona, Nov. 22 vs. USC and Nov. 28 vs. Stanford.